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pass away, and the glory passes away, both as smoke. Our life itself is as a vapor. And as for all the pomp and magnificence of those that have the greatest outward glory, and make the fairest show, it is but a show, a pageant that goes through the street, and is seen no more. But this hath length of days with it-eternal glory! O a thought of this swallows up all the grandeur of the world, and the noise of reckoned years and ages. Had one man continued from the creation to the end of the world, at the top of earthly dignity and glory, admired by all, yet at the end, everlasting oblivion being the close, what a nothing were it to eternal glory! But, alas! we cannot be brought to believe, and deeply to take the impression of eternity; and this is our undoing.

By Jesus Christ. Your portion, while out of him, was eternal shame and misery, but by him, it is all glory. And this hath in it likewise an evidence of the greatness of this glory; it can be no small estate, which the blood of the Son of God was let out to purchase.

His glory. It is that which he gives, and gives as his choicest of all gifts, to his chosen, his children. And if there be any thing here that hath delight or worth, in the things which he gives in common even to his enemies; if there be such a world and such a variety of good things for them that hate him; O how excellent must those things be which he hath reserved for his friends, for those he loves, and causes to love him!

As it is his gift, so it is indeed himself; the beholding and enjoying of Himself. This we cannot now conceive. But O that blessed day when the soul shall be full of God, shall be satisfied and ravished with full vision! Should we not wonder that such a condition is provided for man, wretched sinful man? Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visitest him! And is it provided for me, as wretched as any who are left and fallen short of this glory, a base worm taken out of the mire, and washed in the blood of Christ, and within a while set to shine in glory without sin! O the wonder of this! How will this hope sweeten the short sufferings of this life! And death itself, which is otherwise the

bitterest in itself, is most of all sweetened by this, as being nearest it and setting us into it. What though thou art poor, diseased, and despised here? O consider what is there! how worthy the affection, worthy the earnest eye and fixed look of an heir of this glory! What can he either desire or fear, whose heart is thus deeply fixed? Who would refuse this other clause, to suffer a while, a little while, any thing outward or inward which he thinks fit? How soon shall all this be overpast, and then overpaid in the very entry, at the beginning of this glory that shall never end!

Ver. 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

THEY know little of their own wants and emptiness, who are not much in prayer; and they know little of the greatness and goodness of God, who are not much in praise. The humble Christian hath a heart in some measure framed to both. He hath within him the best schoolmaster, who teaches him how to pray and how to praise, and makes him delight in the exercise of them both.

The apostle, having added prayer to his doctrine, adds here praise to his prayer; To him be glory and dominion for ever.

Observe, I. the thing ascribed: II. the term or endurauce of it.

1. The former is expressed in two words; glory and power. Glory, that is, the shining forth of his dignity, the knowledge and acknowledgment of it by his creatures; that his excellency may be confessed and praised, his name exalted; that service and homage may be done to him: all which add nothing to him, for how can that be? But as it is the duty of such creatures as he hath fitted for it, to render praise to him, so it is their happiness. All created things indeed declare and speak his glory: the heavens sound it forth, and the earth and sea resound and echo it back. But his reasonable creatures hath he peculiarly framed both to take notice of his glory in all the rest, and to return it from and for all the rest, in a more express and lively way.

And in this lower world, it is man alone that is made capable of observing the glory of God, and of offering him praises. He expresses it well, who calls man " The world's high priest:" all the creatures bring their oblations of praise to him, to offer up for them and for himself, for whose use and comfort they are made. The light and motion of the heavens, and all the variety of creatures below them, speak this to man; "He that made us and you, and made us for you, is great, and wise, and worthy to be praised. And you are better able to say this than we; therefore praise him on our behalf and on your own. O he is great and mighty; he is the Lord our Maker!"

Power here expresses not only ability, but authority and royal sovereignty; that, as he can do all things, he rules and governs all things, is King of all the world, Lord paramount. All hold their crowns of him, and the shields of the earth belong unto God. He is greatly to be exalted. He disposeth of states and kingdoms at his pleasure, establisheth or changeth, turns and overturns, as seemeth him good; and hath not only might, but right to do so.

II. The term of this glory is for ever. Even in the short life of man, men who are raised very high in place and popular esteem, may, and often do, outlive their own glory. But the glory of God lasteth as long as himself, for he is unchangeable: his throne is for ever, and his wrath, for ever, and his mercy, for ever; and therefore his glory, for ever.

Is it not then to be lamented, that he is so little glorified and praised? that the earth, being so full of his goodness, is so empty of his praise from them who enjoy and live upon it?

But what wonder is it that the Lord loses the revenue of his praises at the hands of the common ungodly world, when even his own people fall so far behind it, as usually they do? The dead cannot praise him; but that they whom he hath quickened by his Spirit, should yet be so surprised with deadness and dulness as to this exercise of exalting God, this is very strange. For help of this, take the three following directions

1. We should seek after a fit temper, and labor to have our hearts brought to a due disposition for his praises. Div. No. VII.

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And with this object in view, see that they be spiritual. All spiritual services require this, but this service most, as being indeed the most spiritual of all. Seek a heart purified from self-love, and possessed with the love of God. The heart which is ruled by its own interest, is scarcely ever content, still subject to new disquiet. Whence are our frequent frettings and grumblings, and why is it that we can drown a hundred high favors in one little displeasure, so that there is more repining for one little cross, than praise for all the mercies we have recieved? Is not this evidently from the self-love that abounds in us? Whereas, were the love of God predominant in us, we should love his doings and disposals, and bless his name in all. The soul thus framed, would praise in the deeps of troubles. Not only in outward afflictions, but in the saddest inward condition, it would be still extolling God, and saying, "However he deal with me, he is worthy to be loved and praised. He is great and holy; he is good and gracious; and whatsoever be his way and thoughts towards me, I wish him glory. If he will be pleased to give me light and refreshment, blessed be he; and if he will have me to be in darkness again, blessed be he, glory to his name! Yea, what though he should utterly reject me? Is he not for that to be accounted infinitely merciful in the saving of others? Must he cease to be praiseworthy for my sake? If he condemn, yet he is to be praised, being merciful to so many others; yea even in so dealing with me, he is to be praised, for in that he is just.

2. If any due disposition be once attained for praise, then must the heart, so disposed, be set to study the matter of praise.

Study the infinite excellency of God in himself; of which though we know little, yet this we know and should consider it, that it is far beyond what all the creatures and all his works are able to testify of him; that he transcends all we can speak, or hear, or know of him. Look on him in his works. Can we behold the vast heavens above, or the firm earth beneath us, or all the yariety of his works in both, without holy wonder excited in us, and that stirring us up to sing praises? O his great

ness, and might, and wisdom shining in these! Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all. But above all, that work, that marvel of his works, the sending of his Son forth of his bosom ! Then look through the work of saving his chosen, redeemed by the blood of his Son; his maintaining his own work in them against all surrounding enemies and oppositions, the advancing of it in the midst of them, and even by means of those oppositions, and bringing them safe to glory; that perfecting and establishment, as in the foregoing words. It is this which so affects the apostle in the very entry of this Epistle, that there he must break forth into praise; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He begins there in praise, and here he ends in it, and so encloses all within that divine circle. And as we should consider these things in general, so should we also reflect on his particular dealing with us, his good providence both in spirituals and temporals. Would we search, O what a surcharge of innumerable mercies would each of us find! And were we better acquainted with the holy scriptures, had we more our delight in them, they would acquaint us better with all these things, and give us light to see them, and warm our hearts, and excite them to his praises, who is the God of all our mercies.

Ver. 12. By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, (as I suppose) I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

13. The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

THIS is a kind of postscript, and contains a testimony of the bearer, and the apostolic form of saluting. Withal

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